1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to heat lamps, and more particularly to an adjustable heat lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heat lamps are used on farms to keep young poultry or young pigs warm. Of course heat lamps have other uses. In most uses of heat lamps, there is from time to time the need to adjust the amount of heat delivered. This is commonly done by merely raising or lowering the heat lamp, along with the shade in which the heat lamp is disposed. For example, a chain or wire holding up a heat lamp shade can be lengthened or shortened in order to move the heat lamp up or down.
This need to lengthen or shorten a cable, wire, chain or the like which is suspending a heat lamp and shade from above is not a convenient way to adjust the heat delivered to its destination. In fact, ladders and tools in the creep area of a farrowing house can pose a safety hazard. Furthermore, this raising and lowering of the heat lamp with the shade does not change the basic heat pattern, but only increases the heat if the heat lamp is closer to the point to be heated or farther from such point.
Consequently there is a need for a more convenient way to adjust the amount of heat delivered to its ultimate destination.
The present invention relates to a heat lamp apparatus having a shade adapted to be hung from a place above the shade. An opening is disposed in and through a top portion of the shade and has at least one projection extending into the opening in the shade. A heat lamp socket is provided for receiving a heat lamp at one end thereof. The socket has an electrical cord connected to it.
An adjusting member has a passageway therein and the electrical cord is disposed in at least a portion of the passageway. The adjusting member has at least one elongated slot extending along one side thereof for selectively receiving the projection of the shade in longitudinally different positions of the slot. A plurality of laterally grooves are disposed to one side of the slot whereby relative rotation of the adjusting member with respect to the shade permits the projection to extend into any one of the plurality of lateral grooves, whereby removing the projection from one of the lateral grooves to another changes the vertical position of the socket with respect to the shade. Consequently the shade can remain in one position and the adjusting member is used to raise or lower the heat lamp bulb with respect to the shade thereby varying the distance of the heat lamp from the object to be heated and also varying the pattern of the heat. If the bulb is raised within the shade, the pattern becomes smaller and if the bulb is lowered within the shade, the heat pattern becomes larger.
An object of the present invention is to provide a better way to adjust the heat delivery of a heat lamp.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.